Tony Pulis signed Keith Millen as a player during his time in charge of Bristol City. 'He has great experience,' Millen says. Photograph: Jed Leicester/Action Images

Tony Pulis has the qualities needed at Crystal Palace to bring back belief and unite the dressing room, according to the club's caretaker manager Keith Millen, who will lead the team into the daunting home fixture against league leaders Arsenal on Saturday.

Pulis, out of work since his sacking by Stoke City last May, has emerged as Palace's primary target to succeed Ian Holloway, who left his post on Wednesday after admitting that he was exhausted and out of ideas about how to inspire a new-look squad. Steve Parish, the Palace co-chairman, has said that he intends to talk to Pulis and it appears that the job will be the Welshman's to turn down.

Palace's new manager will find a group in which the many summer signings have not gelled with the players who secured last season's promotion. Millen insisted there was no rift in the camp but he did admit that strong leadership was required to halt the slump of a club which has only taken three points from eight games.

"We can stay up, without a doubt, but we've got to get the group united because if you don't have the best players, then you need good spirit and you need them to believe," Millen said. "The new manager needs to add that. I think a new manager coming in will lay down his rules. And if the new group doesn't buy in to what he is saying, then as a new manager, you can move them aside."

Pulis signed Millen as a player for Bristol City in 1999. "He knows how to win football matches in the Premier League," Millen said. "He reminds me of Sam Allardyce. He knows which teams to put out to win and not necessarily with the best group of players in the league.

"He has great experience of dealing with Premier League players and that's what we've got now. We need a manager to come in who can judge the group very quickly and get the best out of them very quickly. That comes with experience. As for Tony's style of play, you win games, don't you? He is one of many names who would be interested in coming here."